The community of Marble Falls and Burnet County faces a somber reality as the search for Michael Phillips, the volunteer fire chief who went missing during catastrophic floods, has been suspended. With a heavy heart, local authorities and community members have paused the extensive effort to locate Chief Phillips, who disappeared while assisting others to safety. As CBS Austin reports, Burnet County Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio stated, "We've exhausted our efforts here in Burnet County."
Despite the suspension, the spirit of persistence still burns within some firefighters, with Gilbert Bennett, Llano County Emergency Management Coordinator, indicating that firefighters are, by nature,e relentless in their search for one of their own. In a statement obtained by CBS Austin, Bennett explained, "There are firefighters out there that will still keep looking." The organized efforts, however, have come to a halt.
Prior to this development, the Burnet County Sheriff's Office had been seeking two individuals, one of whom was Chief Phillips, as reported by FOX 7 Austin. He went missing early Saturday after floodwaters overtook him during a response call in Cow Creek. His emergency vehicle was found, but not Phillips.
The floods have claimed more than just Chief Phillips; a 17-year-old girl also remains unaccounted for. In a harrowing ordeal described by her mother to FOX 7 Austin, their bridge collapsed into Cow Creek were driving over it right before their planned family trip. Though most of the family escaped the vehicle and reached the shore, the teenage girl did not.
Search and rescue operations were supported by various agencies before being suspended, including the Texas National Guard, Texas Task Force 2, and Texas Parks and Wildlife, among others. A vigil for Chief Phillips was arranged for Friday, July 11, at the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department. As the community mourns and reflects, Joe Don Dockery, a Burnet County Precinct 4 Commissioner, praised Phillips's dedication to the community, telling CBS Austin, "He had a serving heart."
